honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, March 6, 2003

Harris probe witness may get plea bargain

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Prosecutors are negotiating a plea bargain with a reluctant witness in the investigation of Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign finances who has been indicted in two unrelated theft cases.

Lisa-Katharine Otsuka failed to appear before a grand jury in September.

Advertiser library photo • Oct. 7, 2002

The potential deal with Lisa-Katharine Otsuka was disclosed yesterday during a court hearing in which a judge agreed to postpone her trial until mid-July and reduce her bail from $95,000 to $50,000.

In September, Otsuka failed to appear before a grand jury looking into illegal campaign contributions to Harris and awarding of city contracts. She later refused to testify before the panel unless she was granted immunity from prosecution.

Amid that dispute, separate grand juries indicted Otsuka on theft charges for allegedly stealing money from a dance group and a car repair shop.

Harris has said he does not know Otsuka, and campaign officials insist they have done nothing wrong.